Thursday Cheese Curds: Packers don’t need an all-in bet with their current hand

It has become almost a tradition in the NFL.

In the days and weeks immediately following the Super Bowl, debate rages on about whether or not the 31 teams that did not win the Lombardi Trophy should copy the approach of the team that did.

In the case of the Green Bay Packers, it would seem logical to do what the Tampa Bay Buccaneers did and go “all in” on player acquisition and find veteran players to bring in to pursue a ring with Aaron Rodgers.

Do they really HAVE to though?

While the NFC Championship loss still stings, the Packers are much closer to winning the big game than they were a year ago. Given how Kansas City struggled against Tampa Bay and Green Bay actually put up a fight, there’s a strong argument the Packers were the second best team in the NFL this season.

That would suggest only small tweaks are needed though pending losses in free agency do provide general manager Brian Gutekunst a bit more of a challenge. However even with those losses, they have a very strong foundation without having to add many huge names. You’ve got Rodgers, Davante Adams and David Bakhtiari on offense and Kenny Clark, Za’Darius Smith and Jaire Alexander on defense.

That’s a solid core.

Then there’s also the bigger risk of the “all in” approach. The New Orleans Saints have gone that way for a while and they haven’t even come close to another Super Bowl. If you think Green Bay has wasted Rodgers, the Saints have done the saman ten fold with Brees. They also have found themselves in salary cap hell.

Don’t let the talking heads fool you. Green Bay does not need to go “all in” to get Rodgers a second ring while risking the long term viability of the franchise to compete. They’re close and they can get over the top without making a foolish bet while holding a solid hand.

Now on to today’s curds.

Why Packers can win without joining Buccaneers in going all-in—PackersNews.com (subscription required)

A smaller salary cap means there could be a purge of expensive talent around the league, and the temptation will be there to try and add talent on the cheap for the Packers. That’s a better approach than throwing money at players with no regard to the future.

10 most reasonable ways the Packers can clear salary cap space this offseason—Packers Wire

Even if they want to add cheaper talent, Green Bay will have to clear salary cap space and there plenty of ways for the Packers to do so.

Packers’ Search for Game-Wrecking Inside Linebacker Continues—Packer Central

The Packers don’t value the inside linebacker spot as much as others but they would be wise to find a game changer at that spot even if Kamal Martin and Khrys Barnes were decent this year.

5 things to know about Packers special teams coordinator Maurice Drayton—Packers.com

Get to know the Packers’ new special teams coordinator before you start angrily tweeting about him when next season comes around.

Koala Rescued After Causing 5-Car Pileup On Australian Freeway—Huffington Post

Pretty sure this animal does not have the koala-fications to drive a car.